All photos courtesy of @WhereYouSmoke

@WhereYouSmoke sprouted in a moment shared between a spliff and the great outdoors. Run by an anonymous artist who grew up in LA, the Instagram account and online platform celebrates cannabis lovers who like to light up alongside Mother Nature. Each week, we’ve asked @WhereYouSmoke to share a few favorite Instagram uploads with MERRY JANE, and so far he’s blown our minds with the picturesque snaps he’s sent us. For this week’s column, he shared the story of a collaborator and friend who also loves to smoke out in the sun:

When I was younger, I used to smoke mostly out of pipes, bongs, or skillets, and so I was never really a master joint roller. Years went by like this, but when I moved to New York for college, I knew it was time to get that shit down pat. I would practice rolling whenever I could, but ultimately I ended up blazing out of a vape most of the time — #dormlife.  Finally, when I moved into my first apartment, I lived with two of my best friends from my LA hometown. These two gals smoked just as much as I did, but by the end of week one it became abundantly clear that one of us was far less lazy when it came to ensuring we had spliffs rolled and ready to go: me. 

So, finally, after half a decade of blazing almost everyday, I started getting the non-stop practice I wanted, rolling anywhere from five to fifteen J’s each day. If it weren’t for those two lovely, lazy ladies, I’d never have mastered the art of the J.

All interviews have been edited for length and clarity. 

@lemdawwg
21-Years-Old
Photo taken in Whiteside Mountain, Cashiers NC in Winter 2016

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@lemdawwg: This photo was taken on top of Whiteside Mountain in North Carolina. It was a beautiful day and my friends and I decided to go for a hike. We rewarded ourselves on top of the mountain with some wax.

If you could smoke with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
If I could sesh with anyone, it would have to be with the band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. They seem like really fun and goofy guys that would be great to get stoned with, and they are my favorite band. I would be down to bring friends too for sure — why not share the love and ganja?

What’s the best high-dea you’ve ever had?
One of my best highdeas was to cross-bread fruit and weed so you could have fruit edibles, but do it in a way that is completely natural. I have no idea how I am going to accomplish this but I definitely want to try it some day.

Do you find that there are stigmas around girls who smoke? Have you encountered that before?
I think their are plenty of stigmas around girls who smoke, and sometimes girls think that it isn’t ladylike to smoke, but that’s not how I see it. It really depends on your perspective on weed I guess because personally I see it as a beautiful thing rather than something bad or criminal, and I have recognized a lot of positive outcomes from smoking. Overall, I think there’s a lot of stigma towards girls doing everything, so us stoner chicks just have to stick together and share the love.

@herhiddengems / @doyoutravelandgethigh
26-Years-Old
Photo Taken at the Top of Observation Point in Utah’s Zion National Park in March 2015

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@herhiddengems: Observation Point – it’s the most strenuous hike at Zion with the most rewarding view at the top. It was a sunny day in March, but still quite chilly when you’re up that high. I would say this is one of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever witnessed. There was a lot of people at the top but they didn’t seem to mind me smoking a joint. In fact, they wanted a hit lol.

What advice do you have for people who like to smoke outdoors?
For anyone who likes to smoke outdoors, hiking in national parks or any trail really has been one of my favorite pastimes. We are ALWAYS careful about fire safety since forest fires are no joke. We’ve been too close to some serious fires in California on more than one occasion. I’m always open to exploring new places even if they aren’t that popular. You just never know what you’ll find and they always turn out to be the hidden gems! We personally always bring our own weed when traveling since it can be difficult to find bud in new areas, especially if you don’t know anyone. We have made friends with the right people when on vacation, and that’s always helped too!

Do you find that there are stigmas or fetishes around girls who smoke? Have you encountered that ever?
I’ve heard some negative stigmas associated with females stoners like, “she’s lazy and not going anywhere in life,” but I don’t think that’s true. I personally like to stay active and in shape, and have a full-time job. I’ve been promoted and earned more raises in the past few years than anyone in my position has in the past. All of my female pothead friends are in the same boat, as well. The ones I went to college with are doing very well for themselves. One just passed the bar exam in California, one just earned her masters in engineering, one is using her architecture degree in the Bahamas. Believe it or not, they all smoke weed. 

@blowkane
25-Years-Old
Photo was taken at Lizard Lake in Marble, CO in September 2015

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@blowkane: The photo was taken at Lizard Lake in Mable, CO. My fiancée and I had attempted hiking to the Crystal River Mill before in the summer, but were completely unprepared for what the hike actually entails. Thankfully, our second attempt to hike to the Crystal River Mill was successful because we brought along our ATV. The 10-mile trek is off-road vehicle friendly and much easier to manage on the back of a four wheeler.

The changing of the leaves is quite an event in this colorful state, and we just so happened to stumble across one of the best places to experience them in full force. I have many other photos from this trip that will be forever imprinted in my mind. This day was so incredible that we came back the next day and did it all over again!

Do you prefer weed, hash, oil? Spliffs, js, bongs, blunts? Why?
I prefer my flower to be concentrated into one of many varieties — oil, shatter, wax, distillate, RSO, etc. I’m not too picky when it comes to smoking, other than expecting quality medicine.

Do you find that there are stigmas or even fetishes around girls who smoke?
There are absolutely stigmas/fetishes surrounding girls who smoke, and many girls are just trying to promote themselves, not the plant. I have always taken a different approach in promoting women growers and smokers, as I believe we don’t need to sexualize the plant (or marijuana users) in this way. Cannabis is not just for smoking to get high while looking sexy with your clothes off or in a bikini. I want to be on the forefront of the medicinal marijuana stoner girl movement because it’s long overdue that we promote this plant in the most positive manner possible.

What’s your best piece of advice for smoking in the great outdoors?
The best piece of advice I could give for smoking in the great outdoors is to make sure you have plenty of pre-rolls ready for your adventuring. There’s nothing worse than trying to roll a blunt or light a bowl on a windy/rainy day! Otherwise, always keep a cheap or unbreakable pipe for outdoor smoking occasions — pipes are always an effective means for getting medicated and never fail unless they break.